CorPse Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Hey Gang, I'm putting together some info for a Bay Area pulp game, and I'm having a tough time getting a breakdown of what the various neighborhoods were like in SF in the 1930s. Anybody know of a good resources for this type of information? The one or two things I've been able to find are for the current neighborhoods and don't really speak to what neighborhoods were most prominent in the Pulp era or what the demographics, etc., were then. Any help appreciated... --cP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st barbara Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... It is a different game system I know, but I believe that Chaosium put out a supplement for their "Call Of Cthulu" game covering 'Frisco in the 1920's. If you can get hold of a copy it might be of some use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted January 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Ah, yes, CoC stuff is usually high-quality. Do you remember a title? Thanks for the help... --Charles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted January 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Aha! Secrets of San Francisco http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/50214/secrets-of-san-francisco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunglashr Posted February 4, 2012 Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Charles, I have two copies of that if you want one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kharis2000 Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Take a look here: http://www.digitalbookindex.com/_search/search010histus20fedwriproja.asp There's a Work Progress Administration guide to San Francisco circa 1940 available as a freely downloadable PDF here. (As well as a lot of other cities and states) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kap Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Charles' date=' I have two copies of that if you want one.[/quote'] I'll take it if he doesn't want it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted February 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Charles' date=' I have two copies of that if you want one.[/quote'] Crappity crap. Already got one from Amazon, but it didn't set me back too much. Thanks for the offer J, and I hope this not finds you well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted February 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Take a look here: http://www.digitalbookindex.com/_search/search010histus20fedwriproja.asp There's a Work Progress Administration guide to San Francisco circa 1940 available as a freely downloadable PDF here. (As well as a lot of other cities and states) I just discovered these over the weekend, and picked up a reprint of the one that covers SF. It's difficult to describe the detail in the one I've got, and I'm guessing the whole series has an astonishing level of detail. Not that everyone is going to need this sort of stuff, but just in casual reading I've come across the per mile price of a cab ride, some excellently evocative restaurant names (like a Chinese place called Forbidden City), and an "aquatic park" that used to be in the North Beach area. Yes, I'll be enjoying my grandparents tax dollars at work for many weeks to come... In any case, thanks for the links. These are just fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasha Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... I just discovered these over the weekend, and picked up a reprint of the one that covers SF. It's difficult to describe the detail in the one I've got, and I'm guessing the whole series has an astonishing level of detail. Not that everyone is going to need this sort of stuff, but just in casual reading I've come across the per mile price of a cab ride, some excellently evocative restaurant names (like a Chinese place called Forbidden City), and an "aquatic park" that used to be in the North Beach area. Yes, I'll be enjoying my grandparents tax dollars at work for many weeks to come... In any case, thanks for the links. These are just fantastic. Don't forget Playland at the Sea (Amusement Park at Ocean Beach) and Sutro Baths (Swimming Pools, and Ice Rinks). It's pretty easy to find out stuff about both. Somewhere there's a map that has historical pictures of SF. I don't remember the URL, but it's very interesting. Also the World's fair was in SF in 1939 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_International_Exposition which was held on Treasure Island, Treasure island became a Naval base during WWII until the 80's or so when it was closed like most military bases on the West Coast. Another good link http://www.outsidelands.org/cgi-bin/mboard/stories2/thread.cgi?448,0 about the 1925 California Diamond Jubilee. Also about the Western Neighborhoods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted February 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Don't forget Playland at the Sea (Amusement Park at Ocean Beach) and Sutro Baths (Swimming Pools, and Ice Rinks). It's pretty easy to find out stuff about both. Somewhere there's a map that has historical pictures of SF. I don't remember the URL, but it's very interesting. Also the World's fair was in SF in 1939 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_International_Exposition which was held on Treasure Island, Treasure island became a Naval base during WWII until the 80's or so when it was closed like most military bases on the West Coast. Another good link http://www.outsidelands.org/cgi-bin/mboard/stories2/thread.cgi?448,0 about the 1925 California Diamond Jubilee. Also about the Western Neighborhoods. Cool. I'll have to check this stuff out as well. At this point it looks like we'll be starting the game at the beginning of 1933 with the progress on Golden Gate Bridge as a visual metronome to mark the passage of time. My hope is to be playing by the first weekend in March. If all goes well I plan to have a pickup game in my back pocket, based on this campaign, for when I come down to KublaCon. (I've discovered that the very peculiar registration system for RPG games at the Con makes it very difficult to actually get into games with my friends!) An off the books game we can run for ourselves and others gives us a nice fall-back position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... I need to look at some of the stuff I just unpacked while doing some cleaning. I've got a banner from the '39 world's fair (some security guard gave it to my mom) and I think there are a few other items from there. She also worked at Playland, I think while she went to college, but I don't think she kept anything from then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Looks like I have a ticket book for the fair, some hiking maps of Mt. Tam (where they lived) and a few other odds and ends. No idea when this bar menu from the Pilot House at Bernsteins dates from. Pint of Guiness Stout for 65 cents. And the War memorial Opera House recently opened in '32. Though I think the Hansel & Gretel presentation was 12/26 & 12/27 of 1931 based on this beatup program. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_War_Memorial_and_Performing_Arts_Center Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted February 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Great stuff Lem... please post if you find anything else of interest. BTW - discovered a surprising fact last night. San Jose is considered the 10th largest city in the US by population, which means it's technically the biggest city in the Bay Area. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_US_cities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... I've got some scanning to do. I should see if I can find my box of postcards, I'm sure some are of the Bay Area of that time. My grandfather worked on the bridge, but I think just in the off season since he usually sailed up to Alaska in the 30s to the Salmon canneries there. Somewhere is his diary of one of the voyages, but the only thing I remember about it is a few days out. "One of the china men died so he was tossed overboard." 1933 is also the last year he was in the Communist Party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Ok, Bernstein's was the restaurant, The Pilot House must of been the bar: http://www.timeshutter.com/image/bernsteins-fish-grotto-123-powell-st-san-francisco-calif And thru this I found two interesting looking books: http://www.amazon.com/Franciscos-Lost-Landmarks-James-Smith/dp/1884995446/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329284855&sr=8-1 http://www.amazon.com/Infinite-City-San-Francisco-Atlas/dp/0520262506/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted February 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... I've got some scanning to do. I should see if I can find my box of postcards, I'm sure some are of the Bay Area of that time. My grandfather worked on the bridge, but I think just in the off season since he usually sailed up to Alaska in the 30s to the Salmon canneries there. Somewhere is his diary of one of the voyages, but the only thing I remember about it is a few days out. "One of the china men died so he was tossed overboard." 1933 is also the last year he was in the Communist Party. All tremendously interesting. My game is starting in '33, largely because the building of the bridge is one way that we're going to track the passing of time. What was your grandfather's name, if you don't mind me asking? Since I'll be running a historical game, I could always turn him into to an interesting NPC. (I promise I won't let the bad guys toss him off a bridge or anything.) Looking forward to those scans, cP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... All tremendously interesting. My game is starting in '33, largely because the building of the bridge is one way that we're going to track the passing of time. What was your grandfather's name, if you don't mind me asking? Since I'll be running a historical game, I could always turn him into to an interesting NPC. (I promise I won't let the bad guys toss him off a bridge or anything.) Looking forward to those scans, cP Adolph Fritz Ley. Born 1881. He came to the states in 1915 from Germany, worked for Kodak for a bit, then worked his way to the west coast. There were quite a few german nationals that emigrated to the slopes of Mt. Tam. The tourist club is still active. The Swiss Club that bordered our property hasn't been active for ages. He became naturalised fairly early, though my grandmother remained a German citizen. She came over in the 20s and illegally came up thru Mexico, living in LA for a bit, and meeting my grandfather at a German dance hall in SF in the late 20s. (Oddly enough, that building was where the California Culinary Academy was until recently. My wife went there for training, and we had our wedding reception there.) The house in Marin was originally a vacation cottage, but after my mom was born in '28, they moved there. And my grandfather expanded it a lot, using reclaimed fixings in junkyards from warehouses, ships, etc... He was a machinist and worked at the Salmon canneries until 1942 when he was hit by a car and hospitalised for several months. He invented a process for canning beer at one point (forget which year, but I think it was in the 30s) for the American Beer company. Got a $20 bonus iirc. BTW, He went by Fritz. Not sure if that was pre-war or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted February 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Yup. I think Fritz is going to have to be in the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Cool. I should have the images done tomorrow. Have to stich the expo hall and map stuff since it wouldn't fit on the scanner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted February 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... Excellent... looking forward to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... I need to redo the expo key, but just uploaded my first batch. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemming552/sets/72157629479117455/with/6940225029/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted March 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 Re: Good resource for a pulp era breakdown of San Francisco's neighborhoods... That's just fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.